Reflectometer, spectrophotometer, ellipsometer and polarimeter systems including a wavelength modifier

Abstract

Ellipsometer, polarimeter, reflectometer and spectrophotometer systems including one or more wavelength modifiers which convert wavelengths provided by a source of electromagnetic radiation to different wavelengths for use in investigating a sample, and/or which a detector thereof can detect.

1 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A sample investigation system selected from the group consisting of:
 an ellipsometer;   a polarimeter;   a reflectometer; and   a spectrophotometer;   
       for use in investigation samples with electromagnetic radiation; said system comprising:
 a source (LS) of electromagnetism; 
 a stage (STG) for supporting a sample; and 
 a detector (PA) which comprises detector elements (DE's); 
 
       said system source (LS) providing long wavelength electromagnetic radiation in the IR and THZ ranges, and said detector comprising solid state elements (DE's) which cannot detect said IR and THZ wavelengths; 
       said system being characterized by the presence of, prior to said detector (PA), at least one wavelength modifier (WM) for accepting electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths outside the range of said detector (PA) detector elements (DE's) can detect, and providing output electromagnetic radiation based thereupon of wavelengths which said detector elements (DE's) can detect. 
     
     
         24 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 23 , which further comprises polarization state generator (PSG) and polarization state analyzer (PSA) components before and after said stage (STG) respectively, and the system is an ellipsometer. 
     
     
         25 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 23 , in which the at least one wavelength modifier (WM) accepts electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths in the IR and THZ ranges and outputs electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the visible wavelength range. 
     
     
         26 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 23 , in which the at least one wavelength modifier (WM) accepts electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths in the far-IR ranges and outputs electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the visible wavelength range. 
     
     
         27 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 23 , in which the at least one wavelength modifier (WM) accepts electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths in the mid-IR ranges and outputs electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the visible wavelength range. 
     
     
         28 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 23 , in which the at least one wavelength modifier (WM) accepts electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths in the near-IR ranges and outputs electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the visible wavelength range. 
     
     
         29 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 23 , which further comprises a dispersion optics (DO) for spatially separating different wavelengths present after said stage (STG), and in which said wavelength modifier is placed between a selection from the group consisting of:
 between said source (LS) and said stage (STG);   between said stage (STG) and said dispersive optics (DO);   between said dispersive optics (DO) and said detector (PA).   
     
     
         30 . A sample investigation system selected from the group consisting of:
 an ellipsometer;   a polarimeter;   a reflectometer; and   a spectrophotometer;   
       for use in investigation samples with electromagnetic radiation; said system comprising:
 a source (LS) of electromagnetism; 
 a stage (STG) for supporting a sample; and 
 a detector (PA); 
 
       said system source (LS) providing electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range, longer or shorter than said detector elements (DE's) can detect; 
       said system being characterized by the presence of, prior to said detector (PA), at least one wavelength modifier (WM) for accepting electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths outside the range of said detector (PA) said state elements (DE's) can detect, and providing output electromagnetic radiation based thereupon of wavelengths which said solid state elements (DE's) can detect. 
     
     
         31 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 30  in which the source (LS) provides electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in a range selected from:
 ultraviolet; 
 visual; 
 far-infrared; 
 mid-infrared; 
 terahertz. 
 
     
     
         32 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 30  in which said detector detects wavelengths in a range selected from:
 ultraviolet; 
 visual; 
 far-infrared; 
 mid-infrared; 
 terahertz; 
 
       said selected range being different from that provided by said source (LS). 
     
     
         33 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 30 , in which the source provides wavelengths in a range selected from:
 far-infrared;   mid-infrared;   near infrared; and   terahertz;   
       and the wavelength modifier provides wavelengths in a range selected from the group consisting of:
 ultraviolet; and 
 visual. 
 
     
     
         34 . A sample investigation system as in  claim 30 , in which the source of electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of:
 Ar, Xe and He Discharge Lamps in the UV region;   Tungsten Filament Lamps in the Visible region;   Blackbody radiators, Nernst, and Globars in the Infrared ranges;   Hg and Na line producing Lamps in the UV and Visible ranges;   lasers in the and visible and IR ranges; and   super continuum lasers in wavelength ranges of 400 nm to 18000 nm; and   
       said detector is characterized by a selection from the group consisting of:
 Golay cells; 
 bolometers; 
 micro-biometers; 
 thermocouples; 
 photoconductive materials; 
 deuterated triglycine sulfate (DTGS); 
 HgCdTe (MCT); 
 LiTaO3; 
 PbSe; 
 PbS; 
 InSb; and 
 silicon, germanium and gallium arsenide solid state devices. 
 
     
     
         35 . A method of investigating a sample comprising the steps of:
 a) providing:
 an ellipsometer; 
 a polarimeter; 
 a reflectometer; and 
 a spectrophotometer; 
   
       for use in investigation samples with electromagnetic radiation; said system comprising:
 a source (LS) of electromagnetism; 
 a stage (STG) for supporting a sample; and 
 a detector (PA) comprising detector elements (DE's); 
 
       said system source (LS) providing electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range, longer or shorter than said detector elements (DE's) can detect; 
       said system being characterized by the presence of, prior to said detector (PA), at least one wavelength modifier (WM) for accepting electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths outside the range of said detector (PA) said state elements (DE's) can detect, and providing output electromagnetic radiation based thereupon of wavelengths which said solid state elements (DE's) can detect;
 b) placing a sample to be investigated on said stage (STG); 
 c) causing said source (LS) to provide electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths said detector elements (DE's) cannot detect, and direct a beam thereof toward said sample; 
 d) causing said wavelength modifier to receive electromagnetic radiation wavelengths different from those which were provided by said source (LS), and modify them to wavelengths said detector elements (DE's) can detect; 
 e) causing said detector elements (DE's) to detect the modified electromagnetic radiation and provide output data; 
 f) analyzing said output data to determine sample characteristics. 
 
     
     
         36 . A method as in  claim 35 , in which said system further comprises a dispersive optics (DO) which spatially separates different electromagnetic wavelengths, said wavelength modifier (WM) being positioned between said source (LS) and said detector (PA). 
     
     
         37 . A method as in  claim 36  in which said at least one wavelength modifier is placed between said source (LS) and said stage (STG). 
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 36  in which said at least one wavelength modifier is placed between said stage (STG) and said dispersive optics (DO). 
     
     
         39 . A method as in  claim 36 , in which said at least one wavelength modifier (WM) is positioned between said dispersive optic (DO) and said detector (PA). 
     
     
         40 . A system as in  claim 23 , which comprises at least two wavelength modifiers between said source (LS) or electromagnetic radiation and said detector (PA). 
     
     
         41 . A system as in  claim 30 , which comprises at least two wavelength modifiers between said source (LS) or electromagnetic radiation and said detector (PA). 
     
     
         42 . A method as in  claim 35 , in which said system comprises at least two wavelength modifiers between said source (LS) or electromagnetic radiation and said detector (PA). 
     
     
         43 . A method of investigating a sample with electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths that provided by a source thereof, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing:
 an ellipsometer; 
 a polarimeter; 
 a reflectometer; and 
 a spectrophotometer; 
   
       for use in investigation samples with electromagnetic radiation; said system comprising:
 a source (LS) of electromagnetism; 
 a stage (STG) for supporting a sample; and 
 a detector (PA) comprising detector elements (DE's); 
 
       said system source (LS) providing electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range, longer or shorter than said detector elements (DE's) can detect; 
       said system being characterized by the presence of, prior to said stage (STG), a wavelength modifier (WM);
 a) placing a sample to be investigated on said stage (STG); 
 b) causing said source (LS) to provide electromagnetic radiation and direct a beam thereof toward said sample; 
 c) causing said wavelength modifier (WM) to receive wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation in a first range as provided by said source (LS) thereof, and emit wavelengths in a modified range; 
 d) causing said detector elements (DE's) to detect the modified electromagnetic radiation wavelengths after interacting with said sample (MS); and 
 e) analyzing said output data to determine sample characteristics. 
 
     
     
         44 . A method as in  claim 43 , which further comprises a step (c′) between steps c) and d) of placing a second wavelength modifier (WM) between said stage (STG) and said detector (PA) to place wavelengths from said sample (MS) in a range detector elements (DE's) in said detector (PA) can detect.